1. Field
This invention pertains to airplane passenger transportation, and more particularly to providing a way to respond to internal threats to aircraft.
2. BACKGROUND
The events of Sep. 11, 2001, will forever be ingrained in the collective memory of the world. Once thought to be relegated to less politically stable parts of the world, terrorism has been brought, in a dramatic manner, to the United States. Persons in the developed world can no longer ignore the possibility of terrorism striking them personally.
The possibility of an xe2x80x9cairplane missilexe2x80x9d was known to U.S. intelligence agencies long before Sep. 11, 2001, but was largely considered to be an unlikely possibility. The actions of the Al Qaeda terrorist network have shown that that possibility is no longer remote.
The primary response to the attacks of Sep. 11, 2001, has been to improve airport-security, in an attempt to prevent terrorists from boarding the aircraft in the first place. Stringent security guidelines now mostly prevent passengers (and terrorists) from bringing obvious weapons (such as guns and knives) on board aircraft. Anyone who looks like they might be a threat to an aircraft is singled out for closer scrutiny. And at least one airline captain has encouraged passengers to rise up against potential hijackers (http://www.snopes.com/rumors/pilot.htm). (This latter response parallels the efforts of the passengers of United Airlines flight 93, who realized that their aircraft was destined to be another terrorist xe2x80x9cairplane missilexe2x80x9d and overpowered their hijackers, at the cost of their own lives.)But even the most strict security guidelines are unlikely to prevent all future hijacking or terrorist incidents. Witness the events surrounding American Airlines flight AA63. Despite the increased security response to the events of Sep. 11, 2001, Richard Reid was able to bring aboard an explosive device inside his shoe, which he tried to detonate in midair. An alert crew and responsive passengers subdued Mr. Reid, preventing him from fulfilling his intentions. Nevertheless, the mere fact that he came as close as he did to completing his goals shows that increased security is, at best, only part of an overall approach to securing transportation lines.
And exhorting passengers, as the above-referenced United Airlines captain did, has other weaknesses. Depending on unarmed passengers to help police aircraft assumes that passengers are capable or willing to overcome hijackers or terrorists. Such might not always be the case. In addition, if the hijackers or terrorists are able to smuggle a weapon on board, passengers might lose their lives in a futile attempt to overpower the hijackers or terrorists. Finally, hijackers or terrorists can bring aboard the aircraft objects that, while not weapons in the traditional sense, are useable in that way, giving the hijackers or terrorists an advantage over other passengers.
Other proposed security measures are less likely to be successful. One suggestion was to store a weapon (such as a gun) in the cockpit of the aircraft. The theory is that by arming the cockpit crew of the aircraft, the cockpit crew would be able to overcome the hijackers or terrorists through superior weaponry. But this theory overlooks the fact that the hijacker or terrorist need only take a hostage and demand the weapon in exchange for the hostage""s life. It is difficult to imagine that an ordinary citizen, not trained in responding to hostage/terrorist situations, would fail to hand over a gun to prevent the execution of a passenger (especially where the citizen is charged with the safety of the passenger). Arming the cockpit crew simply provides the hijackers/terrorists with a better weapon, and one that they (theoretically) cannot bring aboard themselves.
There may be no solution to terrorists who simply want to kill or destroy, like the terrorists who bombed Pan American Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988. All the terrorists need to do is place a bomb on the aircraft and wait for it to explode. But where a more xe2x80x9csurgicalxe2x80x9d effort is desired, direct involvement by terrorists is needed. Factor in that most terrorists, as much as anyone else, want to live one more day, and often the mere destruction of the aircraft is no longer certain.
Accordingly, a need remains for a way prevent hijackers and terrorists from commandeering aircraft and other transportation means for their own purposes, without risking loss of life to either the persons on board the aircraft or transportation means or on the ground, to address these and other problems associated with the prior art.
The invention is an improvement to aircraft and other transportation means, and a method for using the improved aircraft or transportation means. The aircraft or other transportation means is modified to provide a way to release an incapacitating aerosol into the ventilation system of the aircraft or other transportation means. At the first sign of an internal threat to the aircraft or other transportation means, the pilot or controller of the aircraft or transportation means releases the incapacitating aerosol into the ventilation system. Once the threat to the aircraft is temporarily neutralized by the incapacitating aerosol, the pilot or controller of the aircraft or transportation means guides the aircraft or transportation means to a secure location, where security forces (such as the police) can board the aircraft or transportation means and permanently neutralize the threat.
The foregoing and other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.